A third of Irish professionals have stated they are "very likely" to leave their job in the coming months, unless more understanding and assistance is directed toward personal matters that impact their work, research from recruiter Robert Walters has found.

The survey of 6,000 white-collar professionals in the UK & Ireland shows that the cost of living, mental health concerns, and purpose before profession are the three major "living crises" that are driving employees out of their jobs and that employers will need to address to attract and retain talent.

The study also found that just a quarter of white-collar workers now make enough to warrant savings amid cost-of-living increases, with 8% of professionals resorting to a "side hustle" to manage living costs.

Furthermore, 30% feel that working from home has had a negative impact on their mental health while over half now believe their company's values must align with their own, and 62% would decline a job offer from a company with poor equality, diversity and inclusion credentials.

"Just because hybrid and remote working has become more prevalent it doesn’t mean that the role of the workplace isn’t needed just as much," said Suzanne Feeney, managing director of Robert Walters Ireland.

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"Over the course of our lifetime, we would have spent a third of our time at work – and so employers really do have a role to play in ensuring the wellbeing of their staff.

“Companies need to be more in tune with the issues impacting their employees if they want to avoid ‘The Great Reshuffle.’ The crucial act here is for employers to listen and play an active role in alleviating some of the personal issues in employees lives before they reach that irreversible ‘crisis’ point.”

Of the 6,000 respondents, 48% feel that their pay is not an accurate reflection of the work that they do – with a further 45% stating they feel underpaid.

When asked around pay in relation to cost of living, just 5% stated that they had a generous disposable income, with the vast majority (41%) stating that they live sensibly to cover their cost of living.

Just over a quarter make enough to warrant savings. Worryingly, almost a fifth (14%) of white-collar workers live ‘pay cheque to pay cheque’.

Of those 30% who feel remote working has negatively affected their mental health, 69% cited a lack of physical interaction with the team, 59% an inability to separate home & working life, and 47% distractions at home as the leading reasons.

However, 87% said they are reluctant to give up the option of working from home, with a third stating that they needed to work remotely at least one day per week.

"It is an unexpected phenomenon, but we are now starting to hear about fatigue setting in from professionals who tried too hard to go back to their ‘old work life’ of being a work/social butterfly – all whilst trying to maintain the perks of ‘slow living’ when working from home, building in lunchtime walks and personal tasks," Feeney commented

Around 51% of professionals state that it is important that a company’s social values align with their own – citing workers’ rights (66%), diversity, inclusion & equality (62%), mental health awareness (59%), climate control (34%), political matters (29%), and charitable causes (27%) as the primary values a professional would decline a job offer on.

Feeny said: "Increasingly we are seeing more professionals be more selective about where they work – not because of the salary, job role, or career path, but because of what the company stands for. It is no longer ‘I work for an employer, but that employer works for me.'

“This expectation is being driven upward, where CEO’s who once sat behind their desk are increasingly expected to be more visible and vocal on topics that are important to themselves and their employees – such as inclusivity in the workplace. Young professionals want a CEO who is authentic and passionate, and willing to step forward on values close to their heart.”

(Pic: Getty Images)